POMAHAKA DOWNS CORRESPONDENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3261, 13 September 1916, Page 47

POMAHAKA DOWNS CORRESPONDENT.

TO THE EDITOH. Sir, —I notice that your Clinton and Ermedalo correspondents send congratulations ancnt Mr G. B. Watt's retirement from the columns of the Otago Witness. The expressions of good wishes and his letters "most interesting and instructive" are perhaps well deserved, and no doubt may be consoling to Mr Watt after acting as scribe for nearly a quarter of a century for the Downs people. As one who settled here many years ago and worked side by side with your correspondent, in view of what has been written since his retirement, I may say that many of his communications did not give general satisfaction to the majority of settlers. In the early days of the settlement some of his notes left wounds. Your Clinton correspondent is wrong when he says Mr Watt did not take an active part in the cry for reduction of rent 17 years ago. G. B. signed most of the petitions for rent reduction, and attended several meetings. But there is an end to everything, and Mr Watt has left us. I _ have no desire, on the evening of his life, to hurt his feelings—far from it. Good-bye, good old G. 8., and best wishes to you and yours.— I am, etc., Kawhia UlimaeoA.